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<title>I Can Explain - Slade Wilson Edition by RichardGraysonPercyJackson</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24773254">I Can Explain - Slade Wilson Edition</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/RichardGraysonPercyJackson/pseuds/RichardGraysonPercyJackson'>RichardGraysonPercyJackson</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Acrobat and The Mercenary [67]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Blood and Gore, Bonding, Implied Murder, Implied Sexual Content, Jason and Slade bond over books, M/M, Slade's horny for angry Dick, but they could, implied - Freeform, lying, not murder</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:08:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,252</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24773254</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/RichardGraysonPercyJackson/pseuds/RichardGraysonPercyJackson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"What the actual fuck were you thinking Slade Joseph Wilson?"</p><p>"I can explain."</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dick Grayson/Slade Wilson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Acrobat and The Mercenary [67]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1323779</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>284</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I Can Explain - Slade Wilson Edition</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“I can explain.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dick shook his head, eyes closed and a hand pressed to his mouth as he tried not to throw up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dick-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, just-” Dick cut himself off with a gag. “Give me a second.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slade said nothing but Dick could sense the man’s one eyed gaze on him. After a few long seconds, Dick pulled his hand away and inhaled slowly through his mouth before quietly asking,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the actual </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck </span>
  </em>
  <span>were you thinking Slade Joseph Wilson?” he asked quietly, still keeping his eyes closed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll clean it up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, yeah, you made the mess, you’re definitely cleaning it up,” Dick said firmly, opening his eyes and forcing his attention to stay on Slade and </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> stray to the mess in the living room. “I just...just tell me what the fuck you were thinking.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was an accident.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That doesn’t answer my question.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He struggled.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That still doesn’t answer my question.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slade was silent for a moment. “He found where I lived and broke in. There was a fight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So you killed him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In our living room.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dick pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. “You shot him in the head in our living room.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Slade-” Dick opened his eyes and as hard as he tried to stay focused on Slade, his gaze still strayed and he gagged at the blood splattered on the wall. “Alright. I’m going to go throw up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just…” Dick shook his head,  heading towards their bedroom. “Please clean it up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>……………………………………………</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll make it up to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What you’re going to do is explain why you lied to me,” Dick said when they were laying in bed that night, Slade with a book in his lap and Dick flipping through a case file.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What makes you think I lied?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I looked around after you left to take out the trash,” Dick began. “Cause, you know, I figured we’d need to fix the door or a window or something, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.” Slade’s tone was low, slow, and tense. The way it was when he knew he’d gotten caught in a lie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, but interestingly enough, nothing was broken,” Dick said, looking over at him and glad he didn’t sleep on Slade’s blindside since there was no easy way for the mercenary to ignore him. “And none of the locks were picked either. Isn’t that interesting?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I suppose it is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah but you said he broke in and, well, I have no reason to not believe you, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slade sighed, looking over at him. “Richard-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But what’s the point of cameras in the apartment if I can’t look at them, right?” Dick asked, grinning even as anger became more evident in his eyes and tone and the heat of his cheeks. “So should I tell you what happened or should you tell me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slade closed his book and shifted to give Dick his full attention. “Well, I suspect you won’t believe me if I explain so why don’t you go ahead and tell me what you found.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well I’m so glad you asked, Slade,” Dick said, full rage in his voice as he snapped his case file closed. “Because I saw you </span>
  <em>
    <span>drag</span>
  </em>
  <span> this man into our apartment and shoot him where he was bound and gagged in the head. There was no breaking in, there was no fight, there was just you bringing a man into our home and shooting him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He was a target.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have literally never brought any other target home, why the hell would you do it now? And let’s not forget the fact that you didn’t even clean up the blood before I came home but obviously had time to get rid of the body.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“DIsposing of bodies isn’t as quick and easy as you seem to think,” Slade retorted hotly. “Not that you would know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dick scoffed. “What, you think because I’m a good guy means I’ve never hid a body before.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So you have?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, you’d be surprised how many times Jason has asked me for help.” The two stared at one another for a long time before something in Slade’s gaze shifted and Dick frowned. “Why are you looking at me like that?” he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because it came to my attention after my arrest that you are very attractive when you’re angry and I’m very tempted to fuck you right now,” Slade replied, causing Dick’s cheeks to burn with the blunt honesty. “Unfortunately, I feel like it’s ill-advised in light of the moment.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dick stared at him. “I’m pissed off because you killed a man in our home and you’re horny?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dick’s breath hitched before a smile appeared on his face and he started laughing, Slade grinning as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you serious right now?” Dick asked, laughter in his eyes as he stared at Slade. “So any time I get angry about anything at all, you’re just sitting there daydreaming about having sex?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course not,” Slade rejected. “Only when you’re angry with me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jesus christ, you’re impossible,” Dick whispered as he shook his head and covered his eyes with his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you’re uninterested in having sex, may I go deal with this before you continue yelling at me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dick stared at him. “I’m still angry,” he said. “But what makes you think I don’t want to have sex with you too?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slade chuckled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>…………………………………………</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What if I was disappointed in you?” Dick asked when they two of them were seated in bed, naked and happy and back to reading as if the argument and following sex hadn’t happened. “Would you still be horny?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think you would just remind me of Adeline,” Slade admitted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So if I act like Adeline, you’ll be more likely to listen,” Dick mused, closing his case file and placing it on the bedside table before rolling over to face Slade. “Good to know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slade rolled his eye, reaching over to shove Dick’s face into the mattress. “Brat,” he muttered with a smile as he turned a page in his book. The room was quiet for a few moments until Dick asked,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, what are you reading?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A book recommendation from your brother.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“From Jason?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re taking book suggestions from Jason?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We ran into one another in a bookstore a few weeks ago.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You went to a bookstore?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why is this so surprising to you?” Slade asked, looking over at Dick and raising an eyebrow. “I read every night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah but you always struck me as the kindle type,” Dick admitted with a shrug. “Or a buy online type. Not a go to a store and buy a book type.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you believe me if I said it’s not the first time and I have actually gone </span>
  <em>
    <span>with</span>
  </em>
  <span> your brother before?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know what, you and Jason seem to have become real buddy-buddy behind my back since we’ve been dating and married so yeah, I would definitely believe that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slade chuckled. “You want me to get along with your family, don’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, just didn’t think you and Jason would bond over books.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you prefer we bond over murder?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Books are fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slade chuckled, shaking his head as he turned back to his book. “Go to bed, little bird.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dick sighed before rolling over so his back was to Slade. As he started falling asleep, he mumbled,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m still pissed about the living room.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know.” Slade turned a page. “I’ll make it up to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course you will.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Let me know your thoughts</p></blockquote></div></div>
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